Fever
by pixel's puzzle
Summary: Yun is always taking care of the group, so when he becomes sick with a fever, it is their turn to take care of him. Implied Hak/Yona T for language. Introspective look at each dragon. Possible spoilers
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Begins with a bit of backstory (mostly made up but based on what Yun's childhood might have been like). Yun gets sick one night and Hak and Yona find out the next morning and take care of him.

Disclaimer: I don't own Akatsuki no Yona

Author's notes: Please enjoy and reviews are always appreciated. Please point out any spelling or grammar errors and please comment on my writing style, dialogue techniques, and in general anything you like or dislike about the story.

* * *

Yun couldn't say when he first took up healing. Probably when he met that irresponsible, clumsy priest. That's what he always claimed, anyways, but the truth was he knew a bit about medicine even before that. Not much; after all, there was only so much an eight year old child could do, even one as pretty and clever as him. But he had learned to recognize local plants and had seen others crush them up or heard the midwives say "Use crushed nettles in tea to relieve aching joints" or "Wrap the wound with a few of these leaves and their fever will be down in a matter of hours". Even as a little boy Yun would play doctor, gently rubbing salves on the broken wings of a bird he found in the road and carrying handfuls of precious water to a toad drying up slowly in one of the village's frequent draughts. He always kept these actions hidden from the rest of the village, as he would be scolded for his naive sensitivity and for wasting the village's precious resources.

After meeting Ik-soo, Yun's skills only got better. That idiot priest was always tripping over his own damned feet and falling. Or, even worse, he'd come home half-starved or even beaten, from either neglecting to care for himself (he was forgetful that way!) or being attacked and robbed by the poor, desperate people he encountered on his travels. Yun would lay him day on the straw mat that he had woven himself using nearly the same skills he had to braid Ik-soo's sandals, and put salve on his blistered heels and bind herbs to his wounds to reduce swelling or staunch bleeding. His learning arose out of the necessity to treat the latest scrape Ik-soo had gotten himself into, as well as some of the medical books and scrolls the priest had managed to bring back for the boy.

In addition to healing, Yun was a great homemaker. He could cook decent meals with only the barest of supplies and he knew how to sew and braid sandals and other things out of straw. He was also a terribly neat and organized person, frequently cleaning and reorganizing what little they had. But it seemed it was his skills as a healer that played the largest role in his life. After all, it was after he helped Ik-soo recover that he began to form a friendship with the kind and gentle priest and eventually came away to live with him. His life took an even more drastic turn one year later, after he managed to drag two badly injured travelers back to their home and help them recover, bringing one back from the verge of death. He hadn't known then just how much those two would change his life, the red-haired girl with the intense gaze and the man with the giant sword.

Now he had been on the road for a few months with these strangers and along the way they gained more companions: a pale, delicate man with the power of a dragon in his right arm, a silent, masked warrior with paralyzing eyes, a charming ex-pirate with legs strong enough to practically let him fly, and a sunny-haired, cheerful individual who speaks like a kid but hides the wisdom of a man who has lived for generations. Although Yun would never admit it to any of them, he had come to care for them all deeply, and he had never felt so much a part of a family. They were such an odd bunch, these rare beasts and their princess, and there was no end to the amount of trouble and danger they got themselves into, but Yun had come to accept it.\

The dragons, in particular, caused Yun a lot of grief. Zeno had informed the group that the dragons had weak immune systems, which meant that in addition to all the injuries they sustained while fighting and protecting each other, they also seemed to catch every minor cold and any possible virus they encountered. Yun was constantly preparing soups and teas to help fight their sicknesses and even worse, struggling to keep them in bed. The problem with these beasts is that they never seemed to know when to give it a rest, often rising to the bait of their fellow dragons and Hak even while sick in bed. They were all so vexing sometimes!

It came as a bit of surprise, then, when it was not one of the dragons twisting feverishly in their sleep that woke him up that night, but himself. Rising groggily from his sleep next to Yona, he sat up and looked blearily around the dark interior of their tent. He felt dizzy. On reflex, Yun put his hand to his forehead. It felt a bit warmer than usual, although it was hard to be sure. His headed pounded dully, and Yun mentally cursed as he recognized some of the symptoms of a fever coming on. Apart from his healing skills, Yun prided himself on his strong immune system. Despite all the time he spent caring for the sick, Yun rarely got sick himself, partly because of the precautions he took and the good hygiene he endorsed and partly because he came from a rough background with poor drinking water and frequent sicknesses that his body had already fought off.

 _I shouldn't lay next to Yona_ , he realized, as he made to lie back done again. Grabbing up his blanket, he moved to the far corner of the tent. Ideally he should sleep somewhere else, but the only other option was outside and Yun knew the chilly night air and cold wet dew wouldn't help his condition at all. Feeling cold despite the warmth beginning to radiate off his brow, he drew his blanket up to his chin and settled into a restless sleep.

* * *

Hak had always been an early riser and a light sleeper. These habits came with his occupation as a general and had only been heightened ever since he had fled the palace with Yona. He had learned to catnap, taking short, restful naps throughout the night and during the day when possible, so that he would have the energy and concentration to keep watch at night. Still, Hak wasn't usually the only person up early. Normally Yun was also awake, quietly rolling up his blankets and preparing breakfast for the group. Today the cold morning air was still and void of even these hushed activities. Hak frowned to himself as he observed the silent campground. Rising from his position on ground, where he had slept with his back to a tree, opting out of sharing the larger tent with the dragons, he got up and quietly drew back the canvas on the big tent. Inside all dragons lay asleep, sprawled in such a way as they wouldn't be caught dead during the day. Zeno had squirmed his way between Shin-ah and Kija and had pulled Shin-ah's fluffy fur piece over his face. Shin-ah slept with Ao tucked beneath his arm, his mask, even worn in sleep, askew. Jae-ha's long green hair tangled with Kija's silver, and one arm was draped over the other's chest, in an unconsciously protective gesture. Hak smirked to himself, and resisted the temptation to wake the dragons, if only to see the looks on their faces. Instead he dropped the tent flap and turned towards Yun's and Yona's tent, a shadow of worry crossing his face at the idea of anything having happened to Yona.

He drew back the opening flap and let out a short sigh of relief at seeing Yona, tightly wrapped in a bundle of blankets and sleeping soundly. It took him a minute longer to find Yun. The boy was asleep in the corner of the tent. That was a bit unusual, as Yona and Yun tended to sleep together, but perhaps not as odd as it seemed. Yun was, after all, a teenage boy and he had been somewhat anxious about sharing a tent with Yona initially. Hak turned to go, calm now knowing they were okay when a short harsh gasp stopped him. He turned back towards Yun, and lightly crossed the tent in a few short steps. Looking down, Hak could see that Yun was trembling, drawn up into a tight ball, and sweating profusely. Hak swiftly stooped down and placed his hand on the boy's forehead, jerking it back in surprise at the heat he felt radiating off of it. The boy mumbled something unintelligible in his clearly restless sleep and Hak felt a flash of pity for him. _Shit_ , he thought, _what do I do now?_ Hak knew almost nothing about caring for the sick, but clearly he should do something. First thing, Yun was shivering like mad. Hak left the tent and returned a second later with his own blanket, which he drew over the boy's thin frame. _What else?_ Hak wondered. Spotting Yun's bag in a corner of the tent, he went to it and began rifling through it, not entirely sure what he was looking for.

"Hak?" a sleepy voice questioned him. Hak turned around to see Yona, sitting up amidst her blankets and wearing a sleepy expression on her face and a case of bed head so bad she resembled Ao's tail. Hak couldn't hold back a snigger.

"Good morning princess," he said. "Don't you look ravishing today?"

Yona frowned at him in confusion then raised a hand to touch her hair. Blushing furiously, she pulled her blankets up around her face and retorted heatedly "What are you doing in here, anyways?"

Hak quickly turned serious. "I'm looking for some medicine for Yun. It seems he's caught a cold or something."

Yona's eyes widened slightly and she quickly scrambled out of her covers, embarrassment forgotten, and made her way over to Yun.

"Yun?" she asked softly, brushing his hair away from his eyes gently and placing a hand on his forehead. She didn't remove her hand, but her eyes widened in surprise as she felt his hot skin. "Wow…" she whispered. Her violet eyes shone with worry. "He's got a really serious fever, Hak."

"I know."

Yona watched as Hak finally drew a small bottle out of Yun's bag and came over to them. "This is what Yun gave that white snake when he got sick last week," he said, kneeling beside Yun. He glanced at Yona. "Should we give it to him now or wait until he wakes up?"

Yona hesitated. "I think it would be better to give it to him soon," she said slowly. Hak nodded, then frowned. He hated to do this.

"Yun. Yun, wake up."

Yun struggled for a few seconds, stirring under his blankets and dragging his eyes open to see Hak's and Yona's anxious faces looming over his.

"Guys…?" he asked, his voice sounding raspy and feeble and oddly disconnected to his own ears.

"You've got a fever," Yona explained. "Hak wanted to give you medicine, so we decided to wake you up. Is this the right medicine, Yun?"

Yun's vision was blurry and his head was swimming, but the last thing he wanted was to ingest the wrong thing, so he made an effort to sit up and squint at the bottle. "Yes" he replied tiredly. "There's a little spoon I use to measure in my bag…"

Hak nodded once and retrieved it, carefully measuring out the medicine. Then, quickly and without asking, he slipped an arm around Yun's back and helped him sit up enough just to take the medicine. Yun opened his mouth obediently as Hak spilled the contents of the spoon inside, then helped the boy lie back down.

Yun let out a shaky, breathless laugh. "I give that stuff…to all those stupid dragons…they always complain…but man, it _is_ shit…"

Hak smiled slightly as he drew the blankets back up over the boy so as to cover him completely. He did it brusquely, Yona noticed, making nothing of it, but the gesture was really sweet. _Hak's really a good guy_ , she thought to herself as she watched him stow away the spoon and bottle in Yun's bag.

Yona gently stroked Yun's sweaty face as his eyelids began to flutter closed. From outside the tent she heard the start of the morning commotion of the dragons rousing themselves, and laughed to herself as a muscle twitched in Hak's cheek at the racket they were making. Yun was too exhausted to be bothered by the noise, but she was pretty sure Hak would probably pick a fight with them anyways, especially Jae-ha.

Hak left the tent, and sure enough in a moment there was a pause, then the murmur of Hak's low voice followed by an angry retort from Jae-ha, indignant stammering from Kija, and happy chirping from both Ao and Zeno. Yona sighed to herself and prepared to leave the tent, but first she paused and looked down at the sleeping Yun. He really was pretty, and quite adorable, all small and wrapped up in blankets and sleep. _Poor Yun_ , she thought. Yun, who had seen them through all their sore throats and coughs and runny noses. _This time, Yun, we'll take care of you_.


	2. Chapter 2- Jae-ha

Because you guys asked so nicely.

Chapter summary: In which Yona attempts to cook, Hak stirs up trouble, and one by one the dragons pay a visit to their favorite genius bishonen.

* * *

Jae-ha yawned as he emerged from his tent, feeling cold and stiff from sleeping on the ground. Outside, the morning air was cold and there was a thick, chilly fog hovering over the campsite. Most of their small group sat outside and shivered, crowded closely around the glowing coals of a campfire. A dented metal pot sat atop the embers, the sides of which were beginning to boil over, causing the coals below it to hiss and bubble.

"Morning, droopy eyes," Hak said as he passed him a rough wooden bowl. "Here."

Jae-ha frowned as he saw the contents of the bowl. "What _is_ this, exactly?" The mostly liquid glop contained bits and pieces of other unidentified objects, sticking haphazardly out of its murky depths.

"Shut up and eat it," Hak retorted. "It's breakfast." He handed another bowl to Shin-ah, who took it silently, his expression unfathomable through the mask. Kija, standing a few feet away, was inspecting his own bowl closely. "I think that's a piece of fish…" he mused. "I hope so…"

"Zeno will try it!" a chipper voice cut in. "Zeno is delighted to try some of the miss' cooking!" The yellow-headed dragon beamed as he crossed the campsite to take a bowl from Hak.

Kija's head shot up. " _Yona_ made this?" he asked in disbelief. He peered down into the bowl and went green for a second. Then he looked up, his face determined. "If Princess Yona made this, I am more than happy to try it."

Jae-ha looked ill for a minute, then sighed. "It's not very beautiful manners to refuse a young lady's cooking." There was a pregnant pause as all of them mustered up the courage to taste the soup. Then, all as one, they all took a sip.

The reaction was instantaneous. Kija turned green and twisted to his side, dry heaving. Jae-ha spat out his sip with vehement force as Ao darted out of range. He choked and sputtered. "What the hell _was_ that?" he asked, wiping his mouth off with a sleeve.

"Oh, no! Blue dragon!" Zeno cried anxiously as he hovered over Shin-ah. The poor man appeared to have simply melted to the ground, lying there unresponsively. Ao chattered sadly and poked Shin-ah's face, hoping to elicit some response from him.

Jae-ha grimaced. "It's quite kind of the princess to have made us breakfast, but from now on I think I'll stick with Yun's cooking. Speaking of which, where is he?" Jae-ha turned to Hak. Hak, leaning calmly with his back against a tree smirked back at him.

Jae-ha scowled at him. "Hey, where's _your_ bowl of soup, you bastard?" Hak's smirk widened. "I learned a long time ago not to touch any of her cooking," he replied.

Jae-ha was just aiming a kick at Hak's head when Yona appeared in the clearing. "Good morning!" she said happily. She headed over to the pot, with a spare bowl in hand. "I'm going to take some of this to Yun; I hope he can eat it."

"Princess."

A firm hand on her shoulder stopped her, and she turned around to find Hak's blazing blue eyes locked on her own. "If you take this soup to Yun, you might just finish him off."

Yona paused, startled, then scowled. "Hak, you're so mean!" she wailed, swatting at him. Hak dodged easily and strode away, whistling.

"You all liked my soup, didn't you?" Yona questioned the others. The four dragons quickly averted their eyes, Jae-ha clearing his throat and Kija quickly stammering "Of, of, of course!" Yona frowned slightly at them.

"Yona, where's Yun?" Kija asked, partly out the desire to change the subject. "Is he alright?"

"Yun's sick," Yona responded, looking worried. "He's got a fever, and I don't think he got much sleep last night. Hak and I gave him so medicine this morning, but I'm sure it will take a while to take effect, and…" She looked up and gazed steadily at them. "Please forgive the delay, but I think we shouldn't travel at all today."

There was a moment's silence, then Kija responded, "Of course we'll wait until Yun gets better. We don't mind at all."

Jae-ha nodded. Normally he disliked Kija speaking on behalf of all the dragons but he agreed with Kija. If the poor kid was sick, it was the least they could do to let him get some rest.

"Thank you," Yona responded sincerely.

"And you damn beasts should stop making so much racket," Hak added, from his position by the fire.

"What was that?" Kija demanded, before flushing suddenly, realizing he was just proving the Thunder Beast's point. Hak smirked.

"Yes, please all of you just keep it down and let Yun get some rest," Yona said. She looked a little doubtful even as she said it, as the dragons were rather high-energy and prone to restlessness.

"Of course," Kija said obediently, sitting down complacently by the fire. Shin-ah nodded once and turned to go back to the tent, Ao on his shoulder.

"Zeno will go look for firewood!" Zeno suggested helpfully. He happily ran off into the woods.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Jae-ha promised, turning to follow the exuberant dragon into the woods. As he trailed along behind he mused to himself. _Yun's sick, huh? Poor kid_. Jae-ha was still relatively new to the idea of close companions (particularly ones like these) and he realized he didn't know a whole lot about Yun. Hell, he didn't have a whole lot of experience with kids in general. But then, he reflected, he had never treated Yun like a kid. Yun was older than he looked, fifteen in fact, and he knew more about cooking, cleaning, and medicine than most seasoned housewives. And he also had that look about him, of one that had to mature really fast, not uncommon in children from poor, rural towns. He had proven himself to be tough, clever, and more than capable. Jae-ha still remembered his face during their fight aboard Yan Kum-ji's ship. He had been battered and bruised to the point of unconsciousness and his eyes had that distant, lifeless look. Jae-ha's hands clenched in anger remembering it. Even so, the kid had managed to get the firework set off and had looked after Yona. He had looked after all of them. Jae-ha stopped walking abruptly.

"Hey, old man! I'm heading back to the campsite so don't get into any trouble here, alright?"

From a distance he heard a happy noise that he decided was an affirmation. He turned, leaving Zeno to collect his sticks and branches, and headed back to their campsite. He dodged quietly around the clearing where Yona and Hak were seated around the fire as he headed for Yun's tent; he wasn't hiding exactly, he just didn't care to explain what he was doing, particularly as he wasn't sure yet himself.

As he gently drew back the flap of the tent he heard Yona make a choking cough, then Hak's voice: "See, I told you it was bad."

* * *

Yona and Yun's tent was smaller than the dragons'. Jae-ha had to duck to avoid being taken out by the top tent pole, which would surely have caused enough of a commotion to awaken Yun. Jae-ha glanced down at the boy and was struck by just how _pretty_ he was. Long, sooty lashes brushed against pale white cheeks and his hair, even tousled by sleep, looked silky and soft. Jae-ha stared at him and tried hard not to remember another, considerably more bruised but equally restless boy lying asleep on the hard ground. Jae-ha bent down and placed his slim fingers to the boy's forehead. Hot, but not burning hot. It seemed the medicine was beginning to work. Yun twisted in reaction to the coolness of his fingers and gave low moan. Jae-ha quickly pulled back as Yun beginning thrashing in his sleep. Jae-ha felt a stab of sympathy for the boy. Could it be a nightmare? Jae-ha hesitated, uncertain whether he should wake him, but the boy began quieting down on his own, panting softly. Jae-ha instinctively reached for Yun's hand under the covers (it was surprisingly cold) and gave it a small squeeze. _I wish I could take your pain away…_ He felt some relief at feeling the boy's bare wrist. There were no chains there. _No, of course not, why would there be?_ Angry at himself, Jae-ha withdrew his hand. With an effort, he pushed back his own bitter and lonely memories. He rose, still staring at the sleeping boy, then sighed. The kid was going to be okay. He wasn't alone; he had all of them. _It took me years to find where I belonged._ He felt the dragon stirring within him. _Centuries._

Jae-ha pulled the blankets that had fallen away from Yun back up to the boy's chin. He got up slowly, and left the tent silently.


	3. Chapter 3- Zeno

Author's Notes: Thanks, everyone, for your patience. Zeno is probably the hardest for me to write, so I struggled a bit with this one. As always, please feel free to comment.

* * *

Zeno knew where Jae-ha was going when he had turned back. Now alone in the quiet woods, he shifted his weight and loosened his grip on the stack of wood he was carrying, his mouth twisting in a sad smile, thinking about the first time he had met him. Jae-ha didn't know, of course, but Zeno had seen him, many years before in the village. Quietly entering while the villagers remained ignorant- they were oh so ignorant about their village's best gift, the green dragon- he had seen the poor boy, bruised and chained and laying on a mat on the cold ground. Zeno had lived too long and seen too much to be anything but tired and sad at the appalling foolishness of people. Did they really think they could keep the green dragon down with such simple, human constructs as chains? Maybe for now, but not forever.

Zeno drew himself out of his reverie and prepared to head back to the campsite. He delayed a bit, enjoying the stillness and peace of the forest. He loved the group and the happiness he felt when he was with them was one he had not felt in years. Since he had met Kaya, maybe. No, that had been a different sort of happiness, a private sort of happiness. Being with the group like this, this was a happiness and a completeness he hadn't felt since before the death of King Hiryuu.

Even so, Zeno could still clearly remember the beloved faces of Gu-En, Abi, and Shu-ten. They had been different people than the ones he knew now, the new dragons Kija, Shin-ah, and Jae-ha. Sometimes, in that quiet moment of near unconsciousness right before sleep he would see them all and he always wanted to ask them things; if Shu-ten was training hard, if Abi was behaving himself, if Gu-en was taking care of the group. If they missed him at all. If he would ever see them again. Sometimes it hurt just a little, being with all Yona's dragons, laughing and carrying on. It was a sorrow he could never explain, and that could never be understood because Zeno was one of a kind.

Zeno shook slightly as cool breeze ran through him. He was feeling lonely and didn't want to return to the group looking that way. Part of him, the part of him that always remained seventeen, wanted to cry. The other part, the part that had lived for generations had already accepted it. He turned slowly and made his way back to the campsite.

* * *

Yona was scraping off dishes, helped by an eager but clumsy Kija (who before meeting them had never washed a plate in his life). Shin-ah and Ao were also helping with the dishes, an activity that usually involved Ao's tongue licking them clean but today not even Ao would dare lick up that mess. Hak had gone off somewhere, presumably to brood or practice swordplay or simply avoid the dishes. Jae-ha sat, unusually quiet, gazing into the fire.

Yona looked up. "Hello Zeno," she smiled.

"Ah. Hello, miss!" Zeno greeted cheerfully, the smile leaping automatically to his lips. "Zeno brought back the firewood just as he promised!"

"Thanks," said Yona warmly. "You can set it over there of you'd like." Zeno nodded and bounced over to the spot she had indicated, nearly stumbling and dropping all the wood as he did so.

"Ah, sorry…Zeno isn't strong like all the other dragons."

Jae-ha finally glanced up from the fire. "It's fine," he said, uncharacteristically serious. "You have other important qualities."

Zeno's smile slipped from his face for just a moment. "Ah, yes, that's true!" he grinned, regaining his smile with a bit of effort. He turned to Yona. "Is Yun doing any better?"

"I don't know, I've been letting him sleep," she admitted. She looked anxious for a moment. "Do you think I should go check on him? I didn't want to wake him up."

"It's fine," Jae-ha interjected. "He's still sleeping." He flushed suddenly, realizing that he had just let slip that he had checked on him. Yona gave a slight smile.

"Well, then if Hak and the miss and Green Dragon have all checked on him, it's Zeno's turn!" Zeno declared.

Kija looked up with a dubious expression on his face. "Maybe it would be better if I went…? You might be a little too loud, Zeno." He glanced around to see if the other dragons agreed with him.

Zeno laughed to himself at hearing that. He wanted to check on the boy for the quiet and escape it would offer. Instead he pouted, saying "Zeno knows how to be quiet."

"Alright," Yona said softly, ending the matter. "Go ahead, Zeno."

Zeno nodded at her, again struck by her presence, her ability to give commands that would be effortlessly obeyed and yet so were given so gently.

* * *

As he entered the tent, he heard a hoarse voice. "Hey."

Zeno started. Yun was awake. He headed over to the boy. "How is Yun feeling?" he asked, getting onto his knees at his side.

"Awful," the boy rasped, struggling to sit up. Zeno grabbed his arm and gently drew him into a sitting position. "I haven't been sick in so long, I've forgotten what it's like." He frowned, blue eyes dull with exhaustion. "I thought I'd wake up feeling at least a bit better, but instead I have a sore throat."

"Do you need more medicine?" he asked, slipping out of his habit of speaking in third person.

Yun considered this. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Almost midday."

"Hmm. Okay, yeah, that sounds about right…" Yun started to get up.

"Woah, hey!" Zeno waved his arms frantically in the sick boy's face. "Don't worry, Zeno will take care of it!" He leaped up and went to grab Yun's bag, feeling a small but genuine smile cross his face as he did. He didn't know why, exactly, but he felt a bit better just being with the grumpy boy. Maybe because it gave him a chance to forget about himself and the dragons. Maybe he just felt glad to be doing something useful.

* * *

Yun sighed to himself as he watched Zeno sort through the contents, muttering happily. "It's in the red clay bottle," Yun told him. _What the hell. All my medicines are in clay bottles_. "The small one," he added, clarifying "It's got a blue string tied around the top." Yun labeled all his medicines with bits of colored string, feathers, or beads. Anything to keep them from getting them mixed up.

"Ah! Zeno found it!" Zeno exclaimed excitedly. He held it up.

"Yeah, yeah," Yun said, hurriedly taking it from his hands before the yellow dragon dropped it in his excitement. That would be just what he needed.

Zeno somehow managed to find the spoon as well, and Yun measured his medicine for himself. He glanced up to see Zeno staring at him with a satisfied expression and his familiar toothy grin.

"What?" he asked self-consciously.

"Yun must be feeling better to be taking charge. Zeno's so glad!" With this outburst, Zeno no longer seemed to be able to control himself. He snatched Yun up in a hug, nearly spilling the medicine in the process. Yun flushed, then fidgeted in his grasp. His hug was surprisingly strong. And warm.

"Don't! You'll get sick too!" Yun stammered. Zeno only held him tighter, his fluffy blond hair tickling Yun's nose. "Don't worry," Zeno's voice spoke next to his ear. "Zeno's body is strong. Zeno doesn't get sick."

He finally withdrew from Yun, his eyes shining. Yun stared back at him, face flushed with more than just a fever. "Ju-Just be careful," Yun quickly recovered himself with a frown, folding his arms across his chest. He felt tired again. Flustered, but tired. "You never know. Everyone gets sick."

Zeno smiled quietly. He knew better. He had lived for centuries without becoming sick. "Yes, sir," he replied with a mock serious nod. He leaned in forward, until his nose was just inches away from Yun's. "Yun looks tired. He should sleep."

Yun drew back with a scowl. "I was going to. Hey, you better put my medicine back in order, you rare beast."

"Yep!" Zeno agreed happily. Yun shot him a suspicious glance, but he lay back down and pulled the covers up until they covered his face. Zeno cheerfully started putting all the medicine back, making sounds of delight at the beads and feathers decorating them.

In the dark of his covers, Yun touched his warm cheeks, surprised and touched by Zeno's hug. Yona gave hugs occasionally and the dragons were all affectionate in their own way, but Yun's life was sorely lacking in maternal/paternal/familial tenderness, particularly before he met that fool priest. His heart felt warm and bursting with some emotion, and he wiped a sleeve across his eyes.

 _That damn fool had really better not get sick…_

* * *

Zeno smiled as he looked at the cocoon of blankets that was Yun. He recalled another hug, as sudden and surprising as the one he had given Yun. Hiryuu's face had been so sad, but he had felt so warm and his arms so tight. "I will always be with you," he had said. Zeno's heart tugged at the memory and he blinked away his own urge to cry, smiling instead. Hiryuu hadn't lied; after all these years, Zeno wasn't alone anymore and he was once again surrounded by companions. _Thank you, Hiryuu. Thank you for never leaving me_. Zeno wrapped his arms around himself, around his deathless body, thinking about what he had told Yun. _Zeno's body is strong. Zeno won't get sick._ For the first time in a long while he was glad. His arms could hold others without a shred of reservation. His arms could embrace the ones he loved and his body could protect them without any thought of self preservation. What a gift.


	4. Chapter 4- Shin-ah

Thanks, everyone for keeping up with me. This chapter is a bit shorter and with much less dialogue, in keeping with Shin-ah's character. He was another one that was difficult to write.

* * *

Shin-ah sat quietly by the smoldering embers of the campfire. Yona had gone off to practice some shooting and, knowing Hak, he had followed her to keep an eye out. Or to criticize her technique. Hak enjoyed teasing her but Shin-ah knew his criticism masked the amazement he really felt watching her progress and newfound strength. Jae-ha and Kija had wandered off too, although not far; Shin-ah could hear them arguing playfully in the distance. Before he had left, Jae-ha's steady green eyes had met his own masked ones. "You'll stay here with Yun?" Shin-ah had nodded assent. Jae-ha had nodded, trusting the blue dragon, and followed Kija off a bit into the woods. And now Shin-ah was left alone, in the quiet of their campsite. Even Ao was missing.

Where was Ao? The little creature might have hitched a ride on Yona's shoulders. He loved the princess and was constantly batting at her long earrings and nibbling strands of her red hair. Or he might have gone off with the green and white dragons; Ao was fond of both of them as well, often perching at the very top of Jae-ha's head or chewing at Kija's fingers (the hand that was not an enormous scaly claw). Sometimes, though more infrequently, Ao rode with Hak. It wasn't that Ao didn't like Hak. Rather, Ao tended to follow Hak when he sensed trouble. When Hak was concealing his rage or grief from the rest of the group Ao could be found on his shoulders. When Hak left the group to scout out something on his own, Ao tagged along. Ao had a gift, an animalistic intuition, of sensing when others were upset or afraid. Maybe it was that very gift that led Ao to Shin-ah and kept him at his side over the years. Ao had been his only friend and companion before meeting the rest of them. When the loneliness and emptiness had become almost too much to bear, Ao's smiley face grinned back at him. When the villagers muttered cruelly, Ao's playful antics had cheered Shin-ah. In return, Shin-ah had taken care of the squirrel, helping him find food and letting him sleep on the soft white fur attached to his mask. Caves are not exactly the preferred environment for squirrels, but Shin-ah cared for all of Ao's needs and Ao never left him.

* * *

The fire was low enough that it didn't really need tending; the coals could be coaxed back to life when needed, but today the wind was gentle and infrequent, posing only a slight risk of restarting the fire. Shin-ah rose from his place by the fire to go check on Yun. Again. Unbeknownst to the others and to Yun, Shin-ah had been paying little visits to the boy all day, as well as observing the others doing so. Shin-ah had a way of melting into the background, stepping silently and unnoticed by others (despite Yun's irritated complaints that they all stood out too much to be allowed into town.) With his bells now gone, there was not even the sound of his footfalls to alert others' to his presence and Shin-ah preferred it that way. He disliked attention, although he had come to rather enjoy the sweet affection of Ao and Yona and the other dragons.

He slipped silently into Yun's tent and found the boy flushed with fever and sleeping soundly, Ao tucked into the crook of his arm. Behind the mask, Shin-ah let slip a small smile. So that's where the squirrel was. Ao waved happily at the blue dragon, clearly not asleep but pleased as punch to be snuggled up with Yun. Shin-ah knelt down beside the boy, watching carefully. Shin-ah tended to take his responsibilities very seriously and sometimes too literally. He had promised Jae-ha he would stay with Yun and so here he would stay.

Yun shifted a bit in his sleep and mumbled wordlessly. In his sleep, the cross expression Yun usually wore was relaxed into a more youthful, unworried one, but his lips still seemed pursued in a pout. Shin-ah watched the rising and falling of the boy's chest more closely, his still straight-backed posture resembling a guard dog's. He had done the same with Ao, his old master and the previous Blue Dragon, particularly near the end of his life. Shin-ah remembered waking up in the night and creeping to his master's side, just to watch Ao breathe. The relief he had felt when he noted that Ao yet drew breath, the realization that he was not alone had helped Shin-ah get through his own troubled nights. He had always been torn between the desire to go back to sleep now that his fears were assuaged and the desire to just watch his master breathe.

Eventually Shin-ah's master had passed, leaving him alone like he had never been before. Then Ao had found him. And, just a few months ago, a curious red-haired girl and her interesting companions, including this young boy. Shin-ah was found and he had left his bells behind; he had no need for them anymore.

Shin-ah's gaze never left Yun. His patience rivaled Zeno's; he was content to make sure nothing happened to beloved companions. Yun shifted a bit more energetically in his sleep, rolling over and nearly crushing Ao, who squeaked once and scampered out of the way. Ao scurried up Yun's side and indignantly chattered at the sleeping boy.

"Ao…" Shin-ah calmly scolded the squirrel. Ao ceased his chattering and affectionately nipped Yun's ear, before settling down again, this time on Yun's shoulder.

Shin-ah never shifted. His gaze never wavered. All of his companions had found a way into his heart. It wasn't all that hard; even as a boy Shin-ah had been so anxious to be loved and so grateful of even the harsh comments and volatile emotions of his master. He had protected the village when all they had ever done was shun him and he had never felt even bitterness for their fearful ingratitude. All he had felt was loneliness.

Yun and the others had shown him what living could be. Out in the sunlight or under the moonlight, eating good food and walking among friends. Shin-ah loved the group with a ferocity he had never felt before, and protecting them felt less like a duty and more like a privilege. And that included Yun, their little healer and fretting mother-hen. Yun's skills amazed Shin-ah, and he had never realized food could taste so good until he had some of Yun's cooking. But Yun also lacked the power and physical strength of Hak and the dragons. It was for this reason that Shin-ah felt a particularly strong sense of protectiveness for the 'little ones', Yona and Yun, although both had shown themselves quite capable of protecting themselves.

Shin-ah looked up as he heard soft voices growing louder in the distance. Ao perked up, batting Yun's cheek with his tail, and chirped once at Shin-ah. Shin-ah nodded. He recognized those voices; Jae-ha and Kija were back. He glanced once more back at Yun, whose color looked just a bit better and whose sleeping seemed more peaceful, before silently exiting the tent to greet the two. He would most likely be back before too long. Shin-ah couldn't seem to keep himself away. Just watching the boy sleep gave him comfort, knowing that he had finally found himself a family and to be able to protect them, knowing that they weren't going to leave him anytime soon.


	5. Chapter 5- Kija

It was getting late and Kija's stomach was rumbling. He tried to hide it, he always tried to hide it, but despite his past few months on the road with Yona and her companions, Kija was still used to a life of luxury. Back in his village, any stray comment about something he liked or desired would have half the village running to bring it for him. He never went hungry, was never cold, and he had always had a soft bed to sleep in. Now, Kija reflected with a smile, he had slept on the cold hard ground, with not so much as a blanket sometimes. He was often cold and more often coming _down_ with a cold. But Kija couldn't complain as much about food; Yun was an excellent cook and even when he was short on supplies he always managed to come up with something. But Kija still remained hungry sometimes, and today, having had no breakfast, he was practically starving.

 _I wonder if Yun is feeling well enough to make dinner._ Kija instantly punished this errant thought. Yun was sick, and even if he was feeling better he shouldn't always have to cook for the whole group. Kija glanced over to his left where Shin-ah sat, knees drawn up to his chin and staring intently at the softly smoking coals.

"Shin-ah…are you…?" Kija's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but he said it anyways. "Are you, maybe a bit…hungry?" Shin-ah didn't move for a moment. Then a low growl erupted from Shin-ah's stomach. Kija couldn't suppress his laughter and relief. Sometimes he felt less tough than his companions. He didn't want to show any signs of weakness, but the way Hak continued to fight even while pouring sweat or the way Jae-ha kept calm and confident even under pressure made Kija feel inferior. Yun always took their hardships into stride, thinking rationally and practically to come out ahead. Shin-ah never complained, no matter what happened, and was always ready to offer support. Even Yona, maybe especially Yona, never stopped ceasing to amaze Kija with her fortitude and unflinching selflessness. Meanwhile, Kija reflected bitterly, his stomach still growled and he still felt faint at the sight of bugs.

"Hey, you beasts. Start up that fire again." Kija looked up to see Hak, with Jae-ha at his side, holding a rope full of fish. Kija blinked. "Did you catch all that?" he inquired.

"Of course," Hak responded, heading over to the fire. "With a bit of difficulty," Jae-ha put in, following him. As they neared, Kija could see they were both dripping water and their clothes were half-soaked. Kija stifled a snigger, then remembered that he hadn't even _tried_ to catch anything for dinner. He hurriedly turned to stoke the fire but found that Shin-ah and Ao were already doing it. Ao was feeding it twig by twig, with an occasional acorn thrown in.

"Do you know _how_ to cook the fish?" Kija dubiously asked Hak. He didn't exactly seem like the cooking type.

"'Course," Hak said as he fed a skewer through the body of a particularly large fish. "Warriors need to know survival skills. And I used to hunt and fish for my village."

"Ah," Kija responded blankly. He didn't know what else to say. Next to Hak, Jae-ha was spearing fish while Shin-ah began to work up a blaze from their fire. "Where's Yona?"

Hak smirked. "Sleeping." The smile faded. "She's been practicing all day, she's worn out."

"She's in our tent, so she doesn't disturb Yun. Zeno is with her," Jae-ha added.

"What? That yellow-head is with her?" This was apparently news to Hak.

Jae-ha raised his hands placatingly. "Calm down, calm down. He's just a kid. Well, sort of. He's just watching over her." Jae-ha's mouth twisted in a grin and he leaned closer to Hak. "Or could it be that you're jealous?" he taunted.

A muscle twitched in Hak's cheek. Sensing an oncoming fight, Kija rose to his feet. "I'm going to check on Yun, see if he needs anything," he announced, aware Hak and Jae-ha probably weren't even listening. Shin-ah nodded.

As he left the bickering and the orange glow of the fire behind him, Kija felt pathetic. Even Yona had been hard at work all day. What had he done? What could he do?

Gently closing the tent flap after him, Kija felt a rush of relief to be away from the others. Glancing about the small space for Yun, he finally found him, an almost unrealistically small ball of blankets in the corner. It appeared Yun was still asleep. Sighing aloud, Kija realized not even Yun needed him.

"Hey you beast."

Kija jumped. "Yun?" he asked, approaching the boy. "You're awake?"

"Y-yeah," Yun answered hoarsely, withdrawing from his blankets enough to reveal a pale face and hair disheveled from sleep.

"How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Kija asked, coming to Yun's side.

Yun coughed. Kija frowned and placed the back of his hand against the boy's forehead. He was pleasantly surprised to feel no fever. Yun didn't look as flushed as before, either.

"I feel alright. Better than before," Yun croaked. His blue eyes still looked tired, but they had a bit more life to them, it seemed. "It looks worse than it really is."

"Do you need more medicine?" Kija asked.

"Nah, I already took some a few minutes ago."

Kija felt guilty. If he took some a few minutes ago, he must have done so by himself. While Kija was just sitting outside doing nothing.

"Well, ah, if you're feeling better…if you really don't need anything…" Kija began to stand up, slowly. He really dreaded going back outside. No one needed him there.

"What's wrong?" Yun asked. Turning back to face the boy, Kija was surprised to find Yun's eyes firmly locked on his own.

"Ah, it's nothing. I probably should go make sure Hak and Jae-ha don't kill each other. Although Shin-ah is there…" he mused.

Yun frowned. He knew when someone was being evasive. It was a necessary trait to a physician, and a mother, both of which were roles Yun seemed to have somehow taken on. He wouldn't pry, but…

"What are all you guys up to?" Yun asked.

Kija sighed. "Making dinner. Hak and Jae-ha caught some fish, so at least we'll have something edible for dinner tonight. Hopefully."

Yun raised an eyebrow. "Hak? Cook?"

"Yeah, he said he learned how to cook back in his village."

Yun shook his head. "I don't doubt that, but Hak is really very practical and simplistic as a cook. Hey, grab my bag from over there, will you?"

Kija started. "Of course." He picked it up and brought it to Yun, raising it up and down a few times in his clawed hand. "Wow, Yun, this is heavy." Kija didn't really think it was heavy, certainly not for him, but he recognized that it might be for the much slighter boy. "Do you really carry this around all day?"

Yun looked somewhat embarrassed. "Yeah, that's my fault. I have a lot of stuff in there. I like to be prepared, and you never know what you might need."

Yun took the bag from Kija, flipped upon the top and began rummaging around.

"What are you looking for?"

"Herbs. If Hak is cooking, he probably won't think to add anything, and freshwater fish from these parts are usually pretty bland. Here," he said at last, pulling out a small bag of what looked like dried leaves. He handed it to Kija. "That's basil. It goes pretty well with fish. This is rosemary. Sage."

Kija took the bags, silently listening as Yun explained how to use the herbs, when to add them, which ones went well together, and what kind of flavors they added.

"Wow, Yun, you really know everything…" Kija shook his head ruefully. "I would have no idea how to cook a fish, even if I did somehow manage to catch one. I can't even help with some of the simplest tasks! I tried to help Yona with the dishes this morning, but I saw her re-washing them after I had gone."

Yun laughed, then quickly became serious upon noting Kija's somber expression. The white dragon looked like a kicked puppy when he was discouraged, Yun thought with a rush of affection. Yun considered the man for a moment. "You're a great learner," he said finally. "Do you think I could teach Hak or Jae-ha or Zeno anything I just taught you? And you actually want to learn, you want to help. You and Yona both came from places where you never had to lift a finger before. Now you are surviving and making the most of some really tough situations. That takes a different kind of courage and endurance than what the others have. I really admire that," Yun admitted, eyes not quite able to meet Kija's as his hands fisted in his blankets.

Kija felt a sort of burning sensation in his eyes and quickly turned and ran his sleeve across his eyes, just in case. He quickly recovered and smiled back at Yun. "Well, I had better take these herbs out before they cook the fish without them. Thanks for them. Even though you are supposed to be taking it easy, you're still taking care of all of us today."

"Hmmph!" Yun recovered his usual disdainful look he adopted when complimented. He lay back down and shut his eyes. "Just don't let that yellow beast and that squirrel eat everything."

"Of course not," Kija said quietly, getting up and shutting the tent flap behind him, herbs in hand. He left the tent with a profound sense of peace, relieved to know that he was making a difference and he did contribute to the group, even in his own way.

Even from the distance he could smell the smoke, too much smoke, and hear the arguing of the others as they attempted to save the fish from becoming burnt. He smiled to himself, realizing everyone had their talents and their challenges. And that was what made him a part of their group.

H


End file.
